This invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing hermetically sealed packages including hermetically sealed ceramic packages.
It is known to use hermetic packages to enclose electronic devices such as semiconductor devices. Hermetic packages are needed to prevent air and moisture from reaching and affecting the electronic device. Hermetic packages are preferably made from suitable materials with good heat conduction and which can be safely and ruggedly hermetically sealed.
A known package (see FIG. 1) includes cantilevered leads and a case with raised walls which interferes with the easy placement of the electronic device within the package and its manipulation. Other known packages are equipped with leads which extend through the bottom of the package to the outside world.
An object of the invention is to provide a hermetic package which prevents air and moisture from affecting its enclosed electronic device, provides good heat conduction, is very rugged, enables the electronic device to be easily mounted and is equipped with an interconnecting sets of leads of the type which enables the package to be easily mounted on different surfaces and to be interconnected to any number of different external systems.